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Not knowing the distributor, I'd set the rub block down on the cam at a low spot, turn it to a high spot, measure the gap, then set it to 1/2 of that, or .010" less than the throw if the total throw is less than .035"

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Hmmmm? I rounded up two match books. One was from Los Angeles, the other from a hotel in Mexico. The LA book measured .008 thick, the Mexican book measured .012 thick.

As it has been decades since they gave you a match book when you bought a pack of ciggies from a vending machine, I think they have gotten thinner. But at least the Mexican one was thicker than the business card I tried to insert between the points.

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In the absence of a manual, what might be a safe generic point gap setting. This is for a 12 v, 4 cylinder industrial flathead engine in a 1962 Hyster Forklift.

Currently, with a relatively new set of points installed by a 'professional', I cannot even slide an .011 business card between the points. This might account for why it is hard to start.

I checked the plugs. (this is a propane fired unit) and they were clean. I widened the plug gap from about .025 to .034 and it finally started right up.

I am actually in the process of installing a Pertronix Ignitor but I will save the points and want to know how to set them up should the need arise in the future.

You might be further ahead using dwell angle ~ 52-58 degrees.

"A tachometer/dwell meter is very useful for the tune-up procedure. The six (6) cylinder engines should be set for 35 degrees of dwell angle and the four (4) cylinder engines should be set for 55 degrees of dwell angle. If necessary, readjust the points to achieve this dwell angle. Accelerate the engine up and down quickly. If the dwell angle varies more than four (4) degrees for the six (6) cylinder engines or six (6) degrees for the four (4) cylinder engines, change the points. This test indicates a weak point spring."

You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

I don't belong to an organized political party. I'm a Democrat. (Will Rogers)

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I had an old guy tell me once that for a base line set points at half of what the plug gap was. I don't know how true that is but that man could make an old car purr

Heard that often 50 or so years ago. The other rule was set the points with a matchbook cover and the plugs with a worn dime. Thought it was really neat when I got my first dwell meter and could set points with an allen wrench on those old GM distributors.

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I have a near virgin Sears Engine Analyser that my mother bought my dad back in the '60's. It has a wide sweeping analog display that has umpteen different levels of functions displayed. There are also just as many different buttons, levers and switches so that you know which function you want to read on this sweeping arc.

I'm sure that there is a function on it to read dwell. However, my gap question started out to supply future knowledge should I have to re-install the points.

I am in the process of installing a Pertronix Ignitor on this old forklift to make it easier to start after sitting idle for weeks at a time, in a cold damp storage environment.

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x2 Anybody remember the trick of loading a condensor with a charge and playing catch? Here catch...

I remember that game! Or putting a electrolytic capacitor across a power socket. When someone turned the power on the cap would either explode or release copious quantities of acrid smoke.... Fun days.... HSE have killed those games...